The campaign manager for Republican Congressional candidate Carl DeMaio (CA) apologized for saying in newly reported emails that a good way to spot an opposition tracker is if they are young or African American.

Those comments, by campaign manager Tommy Knepper, were reported by The Washington Examiner on Friday. Later on Friday DeMaio’s campaign released a statement from Knepper where he apologized.

“I apologize for my inappropriate and offensive comments, which do not reflect me or my values or the values of this campaign. We value the support from all San Diegans in this election,” Knepper said in a statement.

Knepper, in the same email chain, also said other indicators that someone at a DeMaio event might be an opposition research tracker out to catch the candidate in an embarrassing moment is if they are young or overly talkative to staff or are young and present at a Saturday morning event.

DeMaio (pictured) said to strike the point that a person might be a tracker if they’re African American.